In the United States commented on the proposal to expand Zelensky Normandy format

The US has long expressed a desire to participate in solving the conflict in the Donbas, and now a mediator in this act, the special envoy of the state Department’s Kurt Volker. However, to create a new format that is different from the channel, the necessary agreement of all parties.

After the deadly shelling of the Ukrainian positions in Donbas, killing four Ukrainian Marines, the Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky urged the leaders of the “Normandy Quartet” as soon as possible to gather. In addition, the Ukrainian guarantor called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and asked him to influence Pro-Russian militants in the Donbas.

Zelensky previously suggested Putin to hold direct talks in Minsk with the participation of the US President, British Prime Minister, German Chancellor and French President.

In the United States in turn has privetstvovat Zelensky efforts to implement steps towards peace, “Voice of America”.

“The actions of Ukrainian military in the Village of Lugansk, the desire to rebuild the bridge required to meet humanitarian needs, demonstrates the intention of the new Ukrainian government to take steps in the right direction”, – said the Deputy assistant Secretary of state George Kent.

At the same time, he noted that any new format of resolving the conflict in the Donbas would require agreement of all parties.

With regards to the channel format of the four countries, the United States expressed a desire to participate in solving the conflict in the Donbass. Now this effort is headed intended for negotiations, the special representative Kurt Volker,

added Kent.

According to him, devotion to the United States to preserve the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine is unwavering and will remain such. Also the US is trying to help Ukraine restore its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We believe that the whole Donbass is part of Ukraine, just like Crimea “, – said the representative of the state Department.

By the way, in the beginning of August, Kurt Volker expressed the view that the American President Donald trump may join the channel format, but on the condition that it will be useful.

What is the Normandy format? This is a negotiation to resolve the situation in the Donbas, involving four countries: Germany, France, Russia, Ukraine. Negotiations can take place at the level of heads of States and at the level of heads the Ministry of foreign Affairs. Called so the format because the first meeting of the leaders of these States took place in the French Normandy. Since then, in the “Normandy format” held a series of telephone conversations and meetings at the highest level and contacts of the foreign Ministry.

The last time the four-party talks held in 2016 and the work channel four has been frozen. The fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to visit them, therefore, the parties contacted only by phone or at the level of advisers and Ministers.